Movements and Exercises to Avoid with S1 Sacral Radiculopathy
You should avoid bending and twisting movements of the spine, high-impact activities like jumping and jogging, heavy lifting (especially with twisting), and dynamic abdominal exercises with excessive trunk flexion. 1
Specific Movements to Eliminate
Spinal Loading Activities
- Avoid all bending and twisting movements of the spine, particularly combined movements that stress the lumbosacral junction 1
- Eliminate high-impact activities including jumping, jogging, and any explosive movements that increase axial loading on your spine 1
- Stop heavy lifting entirely, especially any lifting that involves twisting or improper form 1
Trunk Flexion Exercises
- Avoid dynamic abdominal exercises with excessive trunk flexion, such as traditional sit-ups or crunches that force your spine into deep flexion 1
- Eliminate exercises involving combined flexion and rotation of the lumbar spine, as these create the highest stress on the L5-S1 disc level 1
Activities You Can Safely Perform
Recommended Exercise Approach
- Stay moderately active within your pain limits rather than resting completely, as evidence shows remaining active leads to better outcomes than prolonged rest 1
- Use pain as your guide: any activity that significantly increases your burning, tingling, or posterior leg symptoms should be immediately modified or stopped 1
- Begin with chair-based exercises as a safe starting point, performing resistance training 2-3 days per week on non-consecutive days 2
Safe Exercise Parameters
- Start with low-intensity training using 10-15 repetitions at 40% of your maximum capacity, using the Borg scale at 12-14 for perceived exertion 2
- Focus on core stabilization exercises that don't involve trunk flexion, such as isometric abdominal contractions while lying supine 2, 3
- Perform stretching through pain-free range of motion only, holding static stretches for 10-30 seconds with 30-60 second rest between stretches 4
Critical Warning Signs
Stop exercising immediately if you experience:
- Unusual or persistent fatigue, increased weakness, or decreased range of motion 5
- Pain lasting more than one hour after exercise 5
- Increased burning or tingling in your posterior thigh and leg during or after activity 6
- Any new numbness or weakness in your foot or ankle 7
Important Considerations for Your Age
At 72 years old, you need additional precautions beyond the radiculopathy itself:
- Avoid explosive movements and high-impact loading to prevent osteoporosis-related complications 2
- Progress gradually by adjusting duration and frequency before increasing intensity to reduce injury risk 5
- Allow 48 hours of rest between resistance training sessions to permit adequate recovery 5
- Consider medical clearance before starting vigorous training, as this is recommended for adults over 55 beginning new exercise programs 4
Practical Daily Modifications
- Modify rather than completely avoid daily activities to maintain function while reducing pain 1
- Focus on improving functionality through cross-training with varied low-impact activities 4
- Limit sedentary activities like prolonged sitting, which can increase disc pressure and worsen radicular symptoms 4
The key distinction here is that while general sciatica guidelines apply, your S1 radiculopathy specifically affects foot plantar flexion/eversion and the lateral foot sensation 7, so you must be particularly cautious with activities that stress the L5-S1 level through combined flexion-rotation movements 1.